They say a week is a long time in politics, and now it seems that three months
is a long time in the restaurant business. It was three months ago that we
reviewed Manhattans Early Dining menu, and enjoyed it thoroughly, but suddenly
Manhattans has now changed hands, new management, new chef, new menu items and
other changes, so we returned to the Nirvana Place venue to see and experience
the ‘new’ Manhattans Restaurant and Bar.
Alan Beilby and Dessi De Vries.
We were met by the new owner Alan Beilby, a man with a varied
background, including being mine host in some British pubs, a role he obviously
enjoyed. Acquaintance was also made with the new chef, Dessi De Vries, a very
pleasant dynamic young Dutchman with experience in Michelin star restaurants in
Europe. That background has brought about some changes and additions to the
menu, with the leaning towards the international/European cuisine.
The restaurant and cocktail bar area is unchanged, and why
would one? Superbly elegant as you would expect in a restaurant of this caliber,
and very welcoming.
We took the opportunity for a pre-dinner drink in the
cocktail area and sat and perused the new menu and the new wine list, which has
most wines now between B. 1,000 - 1,600, a very much cheaper range than before.
When we saw a Stonefish Cabernet Sauvignon, it was our immediate choice, which
was then taken away to allow it to breathe. Great drinking from this Australian
robust red.
Lamb chops
The set menu concept has been retained with two courses B.
795 or three courses B. 895, but there is now no time limit, relaxed dining
being the objective.
There are 13 appetizers (B. 275-625) with items such as
scallops and lime, lobster and avocado, duck breast and Thai caramel to tempt
you.
After starters there is a page of 12 Main dishes (B. 450-950)
including items such as pink pepper-crusted pork medallions and blue cheese with
a potato-mustard mousseline, spinach and red onion compote (B. 630).
Manhattans began as a steakhouse, and steaks get their own
page, with Canadian Black Angus, Australian Wagyu and grain-fed Australian
tenderloin, rib eye, New York strip and Chateaubriand for two. You will pay a
premium for these imported items with prices beginning at B. 670 for a 200 gm
New York strip.
Twelve Thai favorites are next (B. 190-625) and finally the
desserts with most around B. 200.
For starters we chose the Yum Talay (Thai spicy seafood
salad) for Madame and the king prawns wrapped in bacon with basil and a sweet
and spicy BBQ sauce. Both of these starters were excellent and the juicy plump
prawns were exceptional.
For mains, Madame chose the lamb chops, which came from
Australia, so you do pay a premium for this. Very, very tender with a sauce of
red port and smoked garlic with a balsamic syrup.
I had chosen the fillet of snowfish in crunchy prosciutto
breading on a Dutch potato-carrot and onion mash with a cabernet sauvignon jus.
This was remarkable in that the snowfish had retained its flavor and the jus
just added to it, not overpowering it. Young Dessi shows he understands the
subtle nuances in the kitchen.
The “new” Manhattans certainly pleased the Dining Out Team.
The luxurious ambience is still there, and the menu is more to our tastes as
well. Madame, in particular, was impressed by her choice from the Thai food
items which she said was done to Thai taste. I enjoyed my starter and main
course, and this was certainly no ‘nouvelle cuisine’ of artfully placed carrots
around a tiny portion of food. The snowfish and prosciutto ham was really too
much and I had to admit defeat, despite all my efforts. To then be faced with a
dessert, which Alan and Dessi insisted we try, was taking investigative
journalism to new heights, but the chocolate soufflé dessert was superb.
We both rated the new Manhattans very highly and can
definitely recommend you visit.
Manhattans, 482/1-4 Thappraya Road (Nirvana Place), M 12,
Jomtien, telephone 038 259 790, closed Mondays, open 5 p.m. to 10.30 p.m. Secure
parking and valet service. Complimentary pick-up in Pattaya area. Website
www.manhattans-pattaya.com.
|
Ingredients
Serves 4
Chicken breast skinless fillets 500 gm
Desiccated coconut
50 gm
Onions, chopped
2
Garlic, chopped
2 cloves
Coconut milk (canned)
250 ml
Chili paste
1 tspn
Turmeric powder
1 tspn
Five Spice
1 tspn
Spring onion, chopped
4 |
Cooking method
Clean the chicken fillets and dry then pour 50 ml coconut milk over them.
Place desiccated coconut in a bowl with 5 tablespoons of boiling water and
leave for 15 minutes.
After standing for 15 minutes, place the coconut, onion,
garlic, the remaining coconut milk, turmeric, Five Spice, chili paste in the
food processor, and puree the mixture, adding water to keep the mixture
quite thin in consistency.
Now boil the mixture and put half of it in a baking dish,
adding the chicken fillets and then pouring the rest of the mixture over the
fillets.
Cover the baking dish and bake in the oven at 220 degrees
Celsius for eight to ten minutes. Serve immediately with steamed rice after
sprinkling the spring onion over them as garnish.
|
|
News | Business | Features |
Columns | Mail Bag |
Sports | Auto Mania
Our Children | Travel |
Our Community | Dining Out & Entertainment
Social Scene | Classifieds |
Community Happenings | Books Music Movies
Clubs in Pattaya | Sports Round-Up
E-mail: [email protected]
Pattaya Mail Publishing Co.Ltd.
62/284-286 Thepprasit Road, (Between Soi 6 & 8) Moo 12, Pattaya City
T. Nongprue, A. Banglamung,
Chonburi 20150 Thailand
Tel.66-38 411 240-1, 413 240-1, Fax:66-38 427 596
Copyright © 2004 Pattaya Mail. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
|
